With the ever changing
world, it was not only babies and children who need vaccines; even we adults
need them to help our immune system produce certain anti-bodies to combat
diseases.

Why is a vaccine
important? A person is given a vaccine containing a weakened form of a disease,
so when the real disease comes in, the body can easily beat the invader illness
for without the immunization you will be prone to get the disease and may
succumb to its complications.

According to US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention the vaccines recommended for adults are:

HPV
vaccine or Human Papilloma Virus vaccine

This vaccine can reduce
the transmission of viruses that may lead cervical cancer to women and can help
prevent genital warts.

Flu
or Influenza vaccine

Flu is commonly known as
“trangkaso” in Filipinos which is a viral disease. The flu vaccine is
recommended to be given yearly for adults especially to those who are 50 years
old and above and to younger people with medical conditions such as diabetes,
high blood pressure and emphysema.

Hepatitis
B vaccine

This is the world’s
first vaccine against liver cancer. Hepatitis B is a virus which can be passed on
to others through blood transfusion and sex (bodily fluids).

Pneumococcal
vaccine

This vaccine is
recommended for people aged 65 and older as Pneumonia, a serious infection of
the lungs has been a common cause of death for the elderly.It is also recommended for younger people who
are smokers and having chronic illnesses like asthma, heart disease, diabetes
and liver disease.

It is usually given once
but can be repeated after five years to other individuals depending on their
condition.

Herpes
zoster (shingles) vaccine

Shingles is also a viral
disease that causes painful skin blisters which appear in certain parts of the
body. Acute cases lead to facial paralysis, long-term nerve pain or eye
complications.

Tetanus
vaccine

Tetanus is a bacterial
infection and is a fatal disease that paralyzes the muscles that leads to lock
jaw and death.

It is one of the most important vaccines that adults need.Open wounds gets easily contaminated with the
tetanus bacteria.

A complete childhood
immunization is really an advantage.If
in case you or your children missed a shot, it is best recommended to see and
consult with your doctor to know what catch- up or booster vaccines you and
your children may need.